1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to means and devices for applying substances, such as lotion, to a human body and specifically relates to devices structured to enable a user of the device to apply substances to his or her own body, particularly the back.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people apply lotion to those parts of their bodies where the skin becomes dry, rough or abraded due to exposure to harmful conditions. Most typically, people apply lotion to their hands, feet, elbows and knees, which are known to be particularly subject to roughened condition. However, other parts of the body can become dry, chaffed or irritated and may benefit by the application of a medicinal preparation or moisturizing agent in a spreadable topical form.
One area which presents a problem with respect to the application of a medicinal agent or lotion is the back. Only the most agile person may be able to reach his or her back without assistance of some kind. Therefore, some means or device for reaching the back to apply lotion would be advantageous. Such a device may also be useful in reaching other parts of the body more readily accessible to the average person, but inaccessible to some people due to medical condition, infirmity or lack of flexibility.
Devices for applying lotions, oils or other agents to the back have been described in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,841 to Horne describes an elongated length of inelastic material having a pocket formed in the middle of the length for receiving a disposable pad infiltrated with an applicable preparation. U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,849 to Guinta discloses an elongated length of inelastic material which is folded in a length-wise manner to provide an elongated fold into which a bar of soap may be placed for washing the back. U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,652 to Ulrich discloses a disposable strip of inelastic material which is dispensed from a container filled with a medicament or other agent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,523 to Allinder discloses a belt sized to fit about the waist which is further structured with, among other features, a removable pad that can be used to apply lotions or other materials to the back. U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,195 to Lindsay discloses a glove-like pouch sized to fit on a hand for applying soaps or lotions, and further discloses detachable, inelastic straps attachable to the pouch to enable applying substances to the back.
The devices described above each have one or more unfavorable features, or lack an advantageous feature, which render the device unsuitable in some respect for use as an applicator device. For example, many devices are of fixed length because they have inelastic straps, and as a result, the arms and shoulders of the user become strained trying to use a device which is too short in length. Other devices lack handles at the end of the straps, which can cause the user to lose his or her grip on the device while in use. In the case of U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,195, the attachable straps expose the user to sharp hooks and/or provide a device where the straps can inadvertently become detached from the applicator during use. None of the devices described provide a structure which contains the spread of the lotion or other agent to that portion of the device which contacts the skin, and known devices are, therefore, messy to use.
Thus, it would be advantageous in the art to provide a device for applying substances to the back, and other difficult-to-reach places of the body, which is structured to be comfortable to use, i.e., without straining the arm or shoulder muscles, and which is structured to localize the applicable substance to that area of the device which is formed to contact the skin.